Been tempting me something strong as of late. It will do nothing that my many current guns aren't , but that's never stopped me. Some times the flavor of the month isn't a bad thing.

About once a year I get on a kick to buy a Benelli M4. Last time I got close I hopped tracks and started looking into the 1301. (I have an M2, a short SBE and handful of pumps, so I don't NEED either. Buying an M4 would be real stupid. Buying a 1301 would be stupid, but about $700 less stupid. )

_____________________________________________________Sliced bread, the greatest thing since the 1911.

What has impressed me the most with the 1301 Tactical is its light weight, even with a Nordic extension and fully loaded it handles phenomenally. And despite the light weight recoil, even with full power slugs, is not bad at all. Granted I went full Aridus on mine so cost savings wasn’t my goal.

A Veteran, whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve, is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

I just picked up a Benelli M2, but my buddy7 in the gun shop tried to steer me toward a Beretta tactical gun.

My thoughts are that a serious defensive shotgun isn't the place I want to be trying out something new. I'll let someone else get experienced before I take the plunge.

************************************************"Tonight, we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom. Our grief has turned to anger and anger to resolution. Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done". {George W. Bush, Post 9/11}

I’m perfectly happy with my 1301 Tactical. Perfectly reliable, even with reduced power loads. Prefer it to my pre ban Benelli M1 for recoil and LOP. Just make sure to get the shroud over the bolt release laver, if it doesn’t come with it already.

I had an M4 and sold it and bought a 1301. I added a Mesa Tactical stock. While the the M4 is a fantastic gun, the weight was getting to be too much. The 1301 is so much lighter and easier to handle. No regrets. The fore end does feel a bit cheap, that is my only complaint.

________________________"Don't mistake activity for achievement." John Wooden, "Wooden on Leadership"

I don’t know how much a 1301 shares with a 1201 but my 1201 is light weight, patterns well and runs ANYTHING I put in it bird to slug. If I had any complaints the manual of arms takes some getting used to but I am not a semi auto shotgun guy generally.

Originally posted by cslinger:I don’t know how much a 1301 shares with a 1201 but my 1201 is light weight, patterns well and runs ANYTHING I put in it bird to slug. If I had any complaints the manual of arms takes some getting used to but I am not a semi auto shotgun guy generally.

The 1201 and the 1301 have almost nothing in common. The 1201 is recoil operated, the 1301 is gas operated.

I have a Gen 1 1301 tactical. It is my favorite defensive shotgun and I am a long time Benelli M1 user.

Being gas operated the 1301 is much more pleasant to shoot than recoil operated guns like the Benelli M1 or M2. It is also significantly cheaper than the Benelli M4.

The Gen 1 Guns have one flaw, the tail of the bolt release also acts as a shell release and can release a shell from the mag half way onto the lifter tying up the gun.

The good news is Beretta, Aridus industries and Tau Development group all offer cheap, easy to install shrouds for the tail of the bolt release which fix the problem.

The current production (Gen2) 1301s have a modified bolt release so this is no longer an issue.

Nordic makes a good magazine extension for the 1301 and Aridus industries makes some great 1310 tactical accessories including

-the CROM co witness optics mounts for Aimpoint micros and clones and RMRs, - a stock adaptor allowing use of the Magpul Mossberg 500 stock on the 1301- an adaptor allwong use of the Magpul Zhukov AK MLOK forearm on the 1301.

I tried the Mesa pistol grip stock and did not care for it. I greatly prefer the Magpul stock

Had a 1201 loved the carry weight and loading gate lever. Which was great for car but when running full buck or slug painful.Disconnecter did get dirty and suddenly had a small burp shotty once . Pulled from service then. Have an older benelli m1 that rocks. Haven't seen a 1301 series locally.